logo
episode-header-image
Mar 2024
26m 27s

It Sucks to Be 33

The New York Times
About this episode

Jeanna Smialek, who covers the U.S. economy for The Times, will be 33 in a few weeks; she is part of a cohort born in 1990 and 1991 that makes up the peak of America’s population.

At every life stage, that microgeneration has stretched a system that was often too small to accommodate it, leaving its members — so-called peak millennials — with outsize economic power but also a fight to get ahead.

Guest: Jeanna Smialek, a U.S. economy correspondent for The New York Times.

Background reading: 

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Up next
Yesterday
A Consequential Supreme Court Term Begins With a Conversion Therapy Case
Warning: this episode contains mentions of suicide.In one of the first cases of the Supreme Court’s new term, the justices considered whether to strike down a ban on conversion therapy, the contentious practice that aims to change a young person’s sexual orientation.Ann E. Marimo ... Show More
30m 29s
Oct 8
Trump Claims ‘Rebellion’ in American Cities
Over the past week, ICE and border patrol agents have clashed with Chicago residents, and federal guard troops arriving in the city might inflame tensions further.Julie Bosman, Chicago bureau chief for The Times, and Mattathias Schwartz describe the situation on the ground and ex ... Show More
34m 31s
Oct 7
Marriage and Sex in the Age of Ozempic
In the last few years, GLP-1 weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Zepbound have been radically reshaping the people’s lives, changing appetites and health.But the drugs also have the power to affect other parts of consumers’ lives, including their romantic relationships.Lisa Miller ... Show More
37m 17s
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2024
Trailer: Boom!
How did two old, unpopular men end up running for the world's most demanding job? It’s the question John Prideaux, The Economist’s US editor, gets asked the most. And the answer lies in the peculiar politics of the baby boomers.  Since 1992, every American president bar one has b ... Show More
3m 32s
Jul 2024
Trailer: Boom!
How did two old, unpopular men end up running for the world's most demanding job? It’s the question John Prideaux, The Economist’s US editor, gets asked the most. And the answer lies in the peculiar politics of the baby boomers.  Since 1992, every American president bar one has b ... Show More
3m 32s
May 2022
Baby boomers are getting older and want change in long-term care
Guest: Moira Welsh, investigative reporter In the middle of the pandemic, when baby boomers hit the milestone age of 75, they awakened to the reality of growing old in Ontario and they’re not going quietly into nursing homes. They want to age with purpose, energy and love. Their ... Show More
20m 21s
Jan 2024
If the economy’s doing better, why are the ‘vibes’ still off?
The American economy appears to be making a miraculous recovery from inflation and the pandemic. So why the bad economic vibes? Consumer sentiment is low, and the Biden administration is struggling to gain credit for dodging recession. The lessons from that could soon be felt her ... Show More
25m 52s
Jun 2024
The Economic Theory That Explains Why Americans Are So Mad
There’s something weird happening with the economy. On a personal level, most Americans say they’re doing pretty well right now. And according to the data, that’s true. Wages have gone up faster than inflation. Unemployment is low, the stock market is generally up so far this yea ... Show More
1h 31m
Jun 2023
Not born yesterday: the world’s ageing population
Fertility rates are falling to worrying levels, and an older, smaller, global population is bad news for economic growth. Apple’s new headset could revolutionise the virtual reality world, but only if it sells. And, despite being in decline for decades, the tide is turning for Br ... Show More
26m 10s
Jun 2023
​Pourquoi la santé mentale des jeunes travailleurs se dégrade-t-elle ?
Partout en France, La Semaine pour la qualité de vie et des conditions de travail se déroulera du 19 au 23 juin 2023. Un événement important pour parler de la santé mentale des jeunes travailleurs. Selon une étude publiée par Malakoff Humanis, groupe de protection sociale, dévoil ... Show More
4m 55s
Jun 2023
Not born yesterday: the world’s ageing population
Fertility rates are falling to worrying levels, and an older, smaller, global population is bad news for economic growth. Apple’s new headset could revolutionise the virtual reality world, but only if it sells. And, despite being in decline for decades, the tide is turning for Br ... Show More
26m 10s
Oct 2022
The US Middle Class Is Doing Fine. Why Are They So Worried?
Hello and welcome to The Big Take Podcast! Today: The good news, and not so good news, about the US middle class. With inflation rising, the stock market ping-ponging and housing prices softening, that broad swath of Americans who form the backbone of the US economy are getting h ... Show More
29m 38s
Jun 2023
Money Talks: The baby bust blues
In more than half of the world's countries, the number of babies being born has fallen below the replacement rate. For the next generation, that means living in a less-populous country than their parents—and that gives birth to some big problems. Not only will the bill for their ... Show More
39m 46s